Religious School

It is with pleasure that we announce that Rabbi Joui Hessel will assume the position of Associate Rabbi and Director of Religious Education and Jewish Engagement at WHC, effective July 1, 2010. Rabbi Hessel will assume primary responsibility for the Religious School and, on a limited basis, will continue to grace our bima and participate in a broad range of Temple life by developing program initiatives for congregants and coordinating congregation-wide events.

Rabbi Hessel has been serving as Acting Religious School Director since Winter 2007 and has enriched our education programs with her creativity, organizational skills and warmth. An extensive search over the past two years demonstrated that in addition to her experience at WHC and her esteemed contributions to our congregational community, Rabbi Hessel's skills and credentials are exemplary and could not be surpassed by other candidates. In addition to her strengths as an experienced member of our clergy team, Rabbi Hessel's background in camp leadership and education, including a bachelor's degree in the field and a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College, will serve our congregation well. We look forward to continued growth and innovations in our Religious School under Rabbi Hessel's leadership along with her strong team, including Assistant Principals Suzanne Davidson and Stephanie Tankel.

Rabbi Hessel has been a valued member of our Rabbinic team since her arrival at Washington Hebrew in 2001. She has enhanced our congregation in so many ways, including her work on the 2239 auxiliary, Young Leadership Initiative, Mitzvah Day and Carrie Simon House committees. We anticipate with excitement Rabbi Hessel's new role in our Temple family.